The Best Way to Organize Your Fridge (and How to Keep It Organized)
If you've seen all those Instagram refrigerator makeovers and wondered how you can get the look, it's all about being smart with how you use your space, to ensure that nothing gets overlooked and allowed to spoil—and it's easy to track down your favorite condiment without pulling everything out of the fridge.
Follow these fridge organization tips to help make everything in your fridge easier to find—then check out some key fridge organization products for enhancing your aesthetic.
Best Ways to Organize Your Fridge
Edit and sort your food
Take everything out of your fridge and toss any withered produce, leftovers more than a few days old, and expired condiments or dairy products.
RELATED: How Long You Can Store Food in Your Fridge and Freezer
Start sorting everything you have left into categories—deli, dairy, produce, and sauces and condiments, to start.
Give your fridge a good deep clean
To start with a clean slate in your fridge, wash shelves and bins in dish detergent and hot water, and consider a rinse with water and a capful of bleach.
Take key fridge measurements
Measure the depth, width, and height of the entire fridge interior, and measure the size of the tallest and widest items you plan to store to help with your shelf placements.
Organize by zones
Place items you reach for most often (or want to reach for more often) within easy reach and at eye level. Hot tip: you might want to place healthier snacks front and center so you and your family are more likely to reach for them.
You might want to group all beverages together, all condiments together, or all the fixings for your go-to breakfast in one easy-to-reach spot.
Place your shelves
You may not even use all the shelves in your fridge as you're reorganizing, if you find yourself with a large number of tall items or stacking storage bins that need to be stored.
Find the right fridge organizing products
Haley recommends using clear fridge organization containers and bins so you can easily see what's inside—like last night's leftovers or the pre-prepped ingredients for tonight's dinner.
Specialty produce containers can help extend the life of perishable products like fresh berries, and decanting juice and milk into squared-off containers lets you maximize every inch of space (and look good doing it). Don't forget about some nontraditional fridge elements, like lazy susans for condiments that can help you easily reach the ketchup in the back of the fridge.
Products to Keep Your Fridge Organized
Drink Dispenser
Avoid having cans and bottles get stuck in the back of the fridge with this organizer, which pushes the next can forward when you pull one out.
Twin Colander Food Storage
Help your berries last a little longer with these storage bins, which offer better drainage to help reduce mold growth.
Egg Tray
Put all your eggs in one basket (literally) with this simple, stackable storage tray.
Long Crisper Bin
Make sure your veggies remain in peak condition for as long as possible, by storing them inside a separate crisper bin. The bottom drainage tray helps keep moisture away, so your veggies stay fresher longer.
Glass Milk Bottles
For the perfect Insta-worthy fridge, decant milk and juice into larger glass containers.
Glass Milk Bottles, Small
These smaller-sized containers are perfect for smoothies, cream, or other liquids.
Veggie Keepers
Avoid messes in the produce drawer with veggie keepers—they have vents to allow you to control air flow, and drainage to prevent moisture from causing mold to grow.
Bins With Handles
These slide-out bins are great for corraling smaller items, like yogurt containers or snacks.
Drawer Organizer
These sleek organizers don't just organize the mess in your junk drawer or bathroom cabinet—use them in your deli drawer to cleanly separate your meat, cheese, and other perishables.
Glass Meal Prep Containers
Whether you're stashing last night's leftovers or the chopped-and-diced ingredients for a week's worth of meals, choosing see-through containers allows you to see what's inside (and make sure every bit of leftovers gets used!). Uniform-sized stackable containers give your fridge a neater appearance
Fridge Liners
Avoid glass-on-glass mishaps with a protective liner. (Another plus: It'll make it easier to clean up any errant spills.